Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1887-01-07
A NAGABOND.

Jimmy Gayle sat on the pine straw
with his back against tree. and look
,d about him. 1t was dry, bright
dusty day of autumn. with burning
sun and "a cool wind. October had pass
ID through the woods with her torch
and set the branches on fire: and in
spite of the glow of noon, there was a
feeling in the air OF the slow approach
Of winter.
Meanwhile, Jimmys hand organ
rested on the ground beside him, and
he attendant monkey gambolled as far
Is his chain would allow But Beppo
lad that aniable and patient DISPOSE
ION, common to monkeys. which seems
o lend itself readily to a monotonous
fe, and seeks to alleviate it by q
hundred little branks
He seated himself on a stump, and
began TO munich raw onion that he
leld in both paws; wrinkling his wien
I'd face in an agonized way as he bit in
% the odorous bulb. Then. TO add
Tariety to the repast he flung the
onion on the Ground, and pitched head
ong after it from the stump Then he
wied holding it with his hnd-paws
while he ate. Then he discarded it al
.ogether, and scrambled toward Jimmy,
A an awkward run unplea>antly sug-
FESTIVE of human be m on all-fours.
Then ne made futile grab ut a pass
ne ny-tNamined his empty paw
cautiously, and stuffed it into his mouth
with foolish shipper
Bat the onion Wa, th' bee ming and
I .ud of all things and he always re
a turned to it with undated interest.
I'll had self-cousciou, air, perhaps
lhe result OF his public career; al
though, indeed. the monkey is the only
An mal capable OF express NJ self-con-
iciousncsS. The others are Supremacy
Indifferent to the opinions of mankind.
But Jimmy was not thinking of
Beppo. He threw off his battered hat,
and ran his hands through his hair.
That is good, said he; lit makes
le feel young.
1t had been many a year since he had
set his feet this corner of Mississippi;
tut the face of nature does not grow
out of all knowledge. A. towns and
people do. The spot looked Is young
a. when his eyes first bchcld il.
"Nlu>t be gettin Old, he unused. Il
lidn'tu,e to like the thought o. home
seemed 20 mo like ben tied down TO one
spot, an drudgin' there all our days.
The voice of the highway had al
ways called >trcnuouSly upon Jimmy.
De was u born vagabond, and hum
irum, respectable life would have been
ln>pcukabiy irksomc TO him.
Hc had married early. and. TO please
Annie. his fresh-chcckcd young wife,
ne had stuck maufully TO his trade Of
tinSmth.
But when she died leaving year old
child. the obligation seemed to be dis
solved. and he began TO lead a rowing
life, picking up odd jobs here and there.
and falling INTO the siouching gait of
The tramp.
Mrs Crane. the widowed sister of his
wifi. had little patience with him.
"You amt iittin' to have the charge
IF child. she said. You give Liner
lc me, an I'll take care o her If
you KIN make out Ia do it, you'd better
send me some money, now and then, to
pay for her clos-not that | count
much on your doin' it, she added Sc
verely.
Since then, Jimmy had been a wan
icrer. He had seen many cities. and
known many hardships; but had always
managed to pick up living and after
all. how much better il was than being
tcttered by all sorts OF rules.
At last, one day in New Orleans. the
bright idea occurred to him to buy the
hand-organ and monkey of an Italian
who WAS anxious to sell. jimmy had
ried 10 drive a sharp bargain on the
plea that the monkey. rs well rs the
hand-Or0an. was 'secoud-handed
But the Italian maintained stouty that
Beppo was as good ms new. and would
not abatc IS price by so much rs one
cent.
10 proved an excellent investment
for jimmy went into the rural districts
where monkeys and hand-organs are
exciting novelties and the public ear
u not >ated with constant repetit.ons OF
the "Gobble Duet, and "Good-by.
honey. m gone.
At Whatever cluster OF houses he
tfopped. he was sure Of an admring
audience. and Beppo always handed
his caudv cap back 10 his master quite
bcavY with small con. IL was Beppo
who made the performance u success,
for The children shr.ckcd with delight
as he hobblcd about cap in hand. his
.ail protruding absurdly from his scar
let shirt
So Jimmy had made money. and,
strange to say. had saved it.
In his vagabond life, he had taken
little ote of time. and now, when he
u o.. AhinL hn Wa alnriL nI t.